


The First Meetings: An DNK Story

by thenegaverseliveson



Category: Codename: Kids Next Door
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Death, Dysfunctional Family, Dysfunctional Relationships, F/M, Interviews, Multi, Near Death, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Rehabilitation, Sex, Teen Angst, Teen Pregnancy, Underage Sex, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vaginal Sex, Villains, Villains to Heroes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-23
Packaged: 2021-03-23 20:40:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30061239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenegaverseliveson/pseuds/thenegaverseliveson
Summary: Also find in @thenegaverseliveson blog on Tumblr.In the a world where kids are slaves, the adults are the masters, and an central, tyrannical government organization rules them all, one man steps up to take it all down....Neb noU is his name, and he's on a mission, along with -0.1 and Eerc, to turn the DNK most famous sector into  rehabilitation to weaken and stop Negative Numbuh 4 on his unending to total quest to world power.





	1. David

Negative sector z are different rooms sitting in their chairs, handcuffed to their chairs, and Ecurb is in the next room, hearing their conversation. Daddy talks with David first, the right hand man.

Daddy: walks into the room

David: So, your the man himself? Enb OnU.

Daddy: I don’t go by that name anymore but yeah.

David: (jiggling the handcuffs) and you want us to tell you the secrets on the DnK…

Daddy: Actually, I want to ask a few questions about yourself.

David snickers: There’s not much to it. I’m turning 15 next month, I got honors by DNK, I work at my father’s dealership….

Daddy: (turns the page) Your father, I used to go my high school. Interesting guy. (He leans back in his chair, with a smile, clicking his pen)

David: Yeah. (Looks away, tapping his foot repeatedly)

Daddy: It’s says here in your files that you two don’t have the best relationship. He left your mom for another woman year ago, on your birthday.

David: (he keeps a stern face, but his eyes are unfocused. He starts turning red and twitches.) It’s doesn’t matter, he was a bastard anyway. Most fathers are. ( He says the last sentence which much disdain.)

David also sees a locket hanging from Daddy’s neck.

David: You got a kid?

Daddy: (he continues smiling) A daughter, Eirrac, she would’ve 10 last week.

David: Would?

Daddy: (his smile goes down as he speaks) Let’s just say, she’s with her mother and her brother. Up in the clouds.

David:(he looks and think) I knew a Eirrac.

Daddy: You did?…

David: Yeah, brown hair, green eyes, looked like you.

Daddy sits up in his chair. His smile is now back to an frown.

Daddy: You like sports, David?

David: Eh, some of them. I like baseball.

Daddy: Yankees?

David: Definitely.

David: I play sometimes with my girlfriend-.

Daddy: Ylesha.

David: Uh huh.

Daddy: You two are obviously close.

David: We want the same things.

Daddy: Like Arson. Murder?

David snickers again: No. Power. It’s all about power.

Daddy:…

David: In fact, lemme share something with you. Imagine you’re an innocent child. The world around you isn’t. There’s crime, there’s war, violence. You, on the other hand, aren’t worried about those things, you’re worries about good grades, and making your daddy proud. Hes been under stress lately. Your mom isn’t around anymore, your brother too. He’s been drinking and wasting his life away. You don’t understand, but you feel something is wrong. You try to cheer him up. You make him gifts. You make him pictures of you and him together, it’s brings so much joy to his face. You play with him, little games you make up. You two are the best you’ve been for a while. Despite this, he’s still drinking….still feeling sad…still sobbing at night. You say to your dad “Why daddy, why are so sad, why aren’t you getting better?” He says to you “Can you go to the store and buy daddy some cookies?”

Daddy stares at David, he takes a deep breath, shaking his head.

David: (continues his story) What a thing to say! Hes wants you to go the store so he can drink more and slowly die. What an idiot, you say. What a waste of life, you think. But, you’re a good little girl, so you do what he says. Now, he just made the worst mistake of his life. He sent you away alone, in a crime ridden neighborhood, where you can be in serious danger, but you don’t notice that. You don’t notice the black van riding next to you, watching you get from to the store, waiting fo you to get out, and the second you walk and turn the corner, BOOM! Someone comes out and snatches you. You scream you cry, you fight back, but it’s no use. Your life is over the moment that van’s door closed. You are history.

Daddy: …

David: Oh, it gets worse. No one knows when they are going to die. You fall over out that chair, have a heart attack, and that’s it. You’re dead. We also don’t know how, heart attack, stroke, anything. But, in that moment, when the van door finally opens, and the light hits your eyes, and people in body armor drags you out, you know, somehow, you ain’t leaving alive. You know what the last thing you see, the last thing you hear?

Daddy: Enlighten me….

David: (leans forward)“Your father set you up to die, because he disobeyed the law.” With a bat swinging and smashing on your chest, with a wheezing last breath, you die. Now, you can be with your mother and brother once again, but leaving your sickly, bastardized daddy with no one left to love. (Sits back normally) And that’s the DNK secret, although not much of secret, when you disobeyed and set out of line, we don’t kill you right away, we take out your heart first.

Daddy: I think we done for today.

David: I think we are. Can I go now?

Daddy: (quickly stands up) Not until we talk to the others, then you leave.

Daddy opens the door and walks out.

David: Oh, and daddy?

Daddy stops in the door and looks straight at him.

David: Let’s hope Yankees go to the world series this year.

Daddy: (with tears in his eyes) Ofc, son.

The door closes shut.


	2. Ecurb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ecurb stares at his friend, David, through the glass.

Ecurb and Eerc look at each other shook their heads. They looking from the glass in the intergattion room. Ecurb can feel David’s cold, hardening stare pieced his soul, as he merely sat in his chair, feeling betrayed by his best friend. “This is for the best.” he tells himself “One day, things will be better. We become good people and starting living normal lives. We’ll be turning into a new chapter of our lives. One day.”

That day couldn’t come any slower. It seems like he was giving up everything, and forcing his friends to do the same.

Eerc tried to make conversation to ease up the awkward silence . “I heard they were doing some crazy stuff in kroy wen(New York).” she said. Ecurb could only nod his head. “The news said that some the inner city kids had started an uprising against the DNK officers. They protest about the bad conditions they have to live in. Did you know that most of their homes were made of out of scrap metal?”

Ecurb kept listening about what she was saying. He already knew that kids are forced to work jobs now to fund the adults’ slouching, he knew of the long hours and the little pay, and the overwhelming poverty everywhere he looked. Something about an uprising made him like he wasn’t alone feeling unfair and mistreated, just for the rights he deserved. “Why are you helping me, Eerc?”

Eerc looked at him “What kind of question is that? You kn-.”

“Do you know, Eerc, for yourself? Have you convinced yourself that what you are doing is right?”

She looked down and back at David, who was clicking his nails against the table, as if he was waiting for an response too.

“I know it’s the right thing to do, not just for myself, but for...my sister, -5. We haven’t spoken in weeks,and we used to be pretty tight. I still when she was five, and i gave her my old, red hat. Her eyes lit up, sh hugged me and thanked me. It was the only fashionable thing she owned. That was the happiest I’ve ever seen her, and it probably be the only time I will, unless I do something about it.”

Ecurb nodded “Sisters are hard to understand sometimes.” He spoke with experience. 

“She’s my sister, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do. I think you feel the same way about Ylesha.”

Ecurb tried to blink his eyes fast to hide the tears. “I could only do so much. In the end, it’s her decision if she wants to do good."

Eerc patted him on the back “If this program of yours is successful, will you do something for me?”

Ecurb looked straight in her eyes. “Can you convince Ybba to change?”

Ecurb gave a small smile “Only time will tell.”


	3. Ylesha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Lots and lots of swearing, and a talk about intimacy)

Daddy sat in the dark hallway, taking up everything david said to him, weeping as he did so. The loss of his daughter was unbearable enough, but after hearing the details of her brutal final moments, he just couldn’t take it anymore. He heard Ecurb’s footsteps nearby. He stand above the distraught man, who didn’t even have the strength to look at him.

Ecurb sat next to him. He reached out, and hugged Daddy. Daddy burst into tears and merely said “I am a cursed man.”

Later, after he calmed down, Ecurb and Daddy walked next to the room where Ylehsa was being held. She was shouting and screaming curses, becoming violent to the point where guards had to come and put her in chains. 

“Are you ready to do this? She’s not easiest to talk to.”

“I’ve dealt with worse people.”

“Be careful, Daddy.”

He takes a deep breath and opens the door.

“FINALLY!” Ylehsa’s voice blooms. “I can talk to an real fucking adult instead of these c-.”

“Please try not to swear, Ms. Smailliw.”

“I can swear whenever I want to, asshole. I’ve been stuck in this chicken coop for two hours. I have every right to swear!”

Daddy sits down, and looks through Ylehsa’s file. “Ylehsa Smallilw. 15. You’ve been expelled from Doowirrew High for aggression, theft, solication of drugs, 15 student-related fights, 10 teacher fights, and a stabbing.”

“Hey! It was that bitch Hannah’s fault for stealing ‘The Silencer.’ “

“Silencer?”

Ylehsa sat down “My bat, papa gave it to me.”

Daddy turns a page “ Ynda Smalliw?”

“Yeah. That old basturd. He was only good for drinking and hookers. Leaving that chump was the best momma ever did.” She rubs her nose “Actuall’, the only thing she did right.”

Daddy pulls up his glasses. The young girl had a three tattoos of guns and skulls on her arms, and a tattoo of heart that said “David”.

“MAN! I’m thirsty! Can I get a soda?”

“I paid good money for this building and I’m not getting it dirty.”

The girl laughs “All around here is dirty, even the fucking grass is filled of dogshit!” She leans forward showing her gold tooth “That’s why it’s our job to clean it up.”

Daddy stands up in his chair “Clean up” You think threatening teachers and selling drugs is ‘cleaning up’ ?“

“That’s just a side business, son, the bait to lure all those rats out their rat holes. We get what they like, they come to us and they get POP in their heads.” She bites a nail off and spits it out “Does that file say that I also kill criminals?’‘

Daddy nods.

“See,” Ylehsa says. “I’m not stupid. I heard you talkin’ in the hallways, about doing the right thing, try to fix us. Here’s some advice: Don’t fix somethin’ that ain’t broken! We are not broken!”

“Are you pregnant?”

“We are trying to help you.”

“We don’t need help! We’re FINE!

“WHAT KIND OF DUMBASS Q-.”

“You been throwing up a lot since you been in here.”

“NAH, I ain’t carrin’ a baby! You must’ve talked to David. Did he mention how much…fun we bee having?” Her eyes sparkled and her whole demeanor changed. She looked up, dreamy eyed. “He gave me the biggest oh’s in my life! He so good to me, I don’t even tell him to use protection!” She sighs “Man,” a slight frown emerges on her face “What a bitch like me doing with a sweet man like him?”

Daddy’s eye twitches “I won’t call him sweet.”

“You are just mad because we took care of your daughter.”

“Did the DNK take care of your mother for you?”

She giggles. “They did that on their own. They did me a favor. He did me a favor.”

“Numbuh -4.”

“Our sovereign leader. He took fine care of me, he gave me life. He gave me friends. He gave me authority. Huh, didn’t expect me to use big words like that, did you? 

Daddy looked more in the file. “Your brother…”

Ylehsa looked down “My only child. That dumbass owns me for what I did for him. Poor kid. He doesn’t deserve to live in this world. I don’t mean it like you think it does. I don’t think someone so….what’s that word….helpless should in this place. I do, and that’s why I don’t need nobody, and frankly, no one should want me either.”

“He…is…here…with us.”

Ylehsa eyes shot an dead, angry look. “Wha-.” She stood up, breaking the chains from the arms of her chair, grabbing Daddy by the collar as he gasps for air, shaking and strangling him. “I swear to hell if you touched him, I’ll crush you with my bare hands.”

Ecurb rushed in the room, and Ylehsa looked back at him. Their eyes meet, and she drops Daddy on the floor. “Ecurb!” she said, running to him to hug him, but he stepped back from her. She somehow knew what that meant. She didn’t think. She just slammed him back into the wall, and screamed, her nails clawed into his arms, shielding her attack. “You idiot, you traitor! You’re with him. You put David in here!” 

He pushed hard and she fell on the floor, sobbing. “What have you done? You know what you did?!”

“Yes. I did, sister.”

“You turned your backs on us, you turned your back on family.”

He steps forward “I never turn my back on my family.”

She faces him and sadly snickers. “I’m alone, trapped. Is this your way of help? Locking me in a cage?”

“We just want to talk?”

“Talk?! What is there to talk about?!”

“I see some good in you. That glimmer of hope.”

“Hope! That’s a stupid dream! There’s no hope for me about the things I’ve done! I don’t bring hope to monsters! I smashed them to the ground.”

“You don’t think, Ylehsa, about human beings. You don’t think, ‘hey i just killed a human being, who’s did a lot of stupid crap, maybe evil, but had one chance of good.’ and you come and take that chance away.”

“There’s nothing good of the people I put down, in this neighborhood, in this city.”

“Ho-.”

“I just know. Look around. This city stinks, there’s a stench, and I can’t put the stench out of my nose. Everyone’s out here rioting, and protesting about us, about our kind. I think we need people like me, people who make that call. Daddy lock people up, talks with them, and makes sure they get back up. But, when I hit them, they stay down!”

“What about the girl, eirrac? she did nothing wrong. She’s not a monster, she was a kid, like you.”

“No. I’m an adult.”

She sits down in the chair, glancing back.

“And I have to do adult things to keep alive….”


	4. Ynnel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Heavy stuff. Proceed with caution.)

There was slience, the worst kind of slience.

Ylesha sat in her chair, curled in a ball, numb to emotions. Ecurb helped Daddy off the ground, brushing off the dust from his shirt and wiping the tears from his face. Never before had he saw what it meant to be in someone’s shoes. Not just Daddy, but for his sister, who have done the same to him and would bring nothing but comfort.

“ I have to talk to Eerc about these files.” Daddy said.

“Sure, I’m gonna go to the waiting room.”

Daddy nods, and goes out the room. Ecurb follows behind him. Ylesha stands out of her chair “Wait…” She says “ I want to talk to you.”

Ecurb shudders. It’s never good when she says that. He turns around and walk forward. He was ready for her to yell at him, for her to say he disgusted her, or even to spit at him, but she just looked at him, and brought him closer to her chest. He could hear her quietly sob as he kisses his forehead.

“Don’t you ever do me like that, you hear? Don’t you ever…I don’t want to lose you.”

Ecurb wrapped his arms around her “You’re not going to lose me.”

When he got out of the integration room, he knew exactly what he was going to say to Daddy.

“Let my sister see David.”

Daddy paused holding the file in his hand, Eerc stared at Ecurb.

“Just for a minute, please. I think-.”

Daddy walked over to him.

“I think Ylesha is going to snap if she doesn’t see him.”

“I’ll do it after I talk with Ynnel.”

He opens the file and sighs. “I’ll let them out since it’s getting nighttime.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.”

Meanwhile, while in the room, Ynnel has his headphones on his head, dancing around. He seems unshaken about where he is. Eerc and Daddy stand near the glass, exchanging looks.

“This folder only has two pages?” Daddy says “Where are the rest?”

“That’s everything we have for him. No one knows where he comes from, who his parents are, or even his real last name. Just that he uses to run a gang and got bored.”

“Who gets bored in their own gang?”

Eerc shrugs “He does. He says that he wants a more "backseat” approach to life.“

"And he’s the tatic leader?”

“One of the best in the DNK, he was around when I was a cadet.”

Daddy nods “Then he probably figured out why he’s here.”

“Ynnel likes to talk about himself a lot, it’s his favorite subject.”

“Well,” Daddy chuckles “This should make my job easier.”

Daddy goes in the hallway, and opens the door to find Ynnel dancing on the table.

“Ynnel, Ynnel!” He shouts.

Ynnel pulls down his headphones “WHAT’S UP, BUDDY! HOWS THE OLD MAN DOIN’?!”

“I’m only 35.”

“DAMN, SCOUT! REALLY, YOU DON’T A DAY OVER 68!”

Daddy shakes his head, and goes to his chair. “Alright, Ynnel. Can you take off the headphones and sit down for a moment. I want to have a discussion with you.”

“AWWW, SHUCKS! I WAS ENTERTAINMENING THE YOUNG LADY BEHIND THE GLASS!”

Eerc looks down, blushing, before closing the blinds.

“Well, you little concert has to wait. I need talk about you.”

Ynnel looks over and laughs “Well, dawg, Mr. Onu. You got me on my good days!” He jumps down from the table, and pulls out a chair, sitting in it backwards. “What do you want to talk about?”

Daddy scans the page. “How about your home life?”

“Man, I’ve been across the country, in mannnnnnny states. 25, to be exact. I’ve seen things these poor boys out here can only dream. I’ve been catching waves, skied mountains, been to the DNK monument in Kory Wen(New York). Those kids out there are crazy if they think they could just be built that magnificent beauty, and then rebel against Numbuh -4 like that.”

“Oh, so you heard about the uprising.”

“Yeah,” Ynnel groans “It just another distraction creating divisions in this great country. Numbuh -4 is making Acirema (America) back where it used to be, and these people are running around protesting about this ‘oppression’ junk.”

Daddy tilt his head “I thought a guy like you would know about what your ancestors had to in order to survive in those days.”

Ynnel snickers and rubs his nose “First off, I got not blood family. Sector z is family. Second, when did this become a racial thing? Does everything I talk about a race thing 'cause I’m black!”

“This is not race thing, it’s a problem ingrained in our very present day. The poverty, the suppression. Right now, it applies to everyone.”

“You won’t understand both ways about it, Mr. Onu, ee going to all those places don’t mean nothing if you don’t have a someone to look out for you. Child services don’t care, once they take you out of one shitty place, they put you in another. In the DNK, I feel grounded. I could anywhere in the world, and still be with them.”

“I read in here that you joined the DNK just to get with Ylesha.”

Ynnel shook his head. “No, I joined be-.”

“You feel for her the moment you saw her, right. You brushed off the fact that she has committed crimes, and going down a dark oath, but you don’t care. You’re in that, you’re ladies man, you’re sweet to her.”

“ No, It ain’t like that, sir!”

“You follow her, watched her bathe, just admiring her body. Her blond hair, her green eyes, her, what’s that word, viciousness.”

“Don’t talk that.”

“ It’s makes you want to hold her, to kiss her, to love her. You want to sleep with her, do you? A murderer? You want to b-.”

“MAN, DON’T YOU TALK ABOUT MY GIRL LIKE THAT! I WILL PUNCH YOUR NERD FACE!”

Ynnel sits up and take a deep breath, knowing he lashed out over nothing. “Sorry, I-I can’t hide from the truth. That girl is my everything.” He pulls out a picture of him and Ylesha. “Sweet thang…” He leans his head, and softly sighs. He puts picture back.

“I know why we are here. It’s because we are misfits, huh? And you are the saviour that’s going to teach us, for us to change who we are, and live happily ever after? How big of an ego you must have to believe that how the world works?”

Daddy’s mouth curls up to an smirk as he slowly get up, and tooses the file over to Yneel. “You see that mugshot? How you smile, is that picture of someone who sure about himself, who doesn’t want to change.” Daddy walks to the door. “I believe no fairytale, but I do believe most people want to change. Whenever they’re misfits or not, we just need a bit of help.”

He walks out, leaving Ynnel alone. The boy turns the folder around to look at his mugshot. He looks at Daddy opening the blinds, and Eerc looking back at him. He mouthed to her one sentence:

“Help.”


	5. Ecnatsnoc

blurrrrrr blurrrrrr

The sound of the interview doors opening awaken an sleepy Ylesha from her crying fit. She wiped her eyes to see someone coming towards her. She clenched her stomach, the pain was unbearable. She knew why, but she didn’t want to admit. She didn’t want it to an reality, her reality.

When her vision cleared, and the pain in stomach settled, she did see someone walking to her. David. She stood there in shock and overwhelmed with happiness that when he got close to her, she ran and threw her arms at him. The two embraced, David spinning her around as she let out joyful laughter. They were reunited.

“David,” she said, kissing his lips “How are you. What did they do to you?”

He said “Not much. They just let me sit in there, it was quite calming.”

She looked down, visibly upset.

“What’s wrong, honey? You look sad. Did they do anything to you?”

Her mouth quivered as she tried to put together words to say.

“David, I have something to tell you, but I can’t.”

“Why?”

“I can’t say it!”

“You can, I won’t judge you. Whatever it is,” he put his hand on her face “You can tell me.”

“I’m… pregnant.”

David instantly gave her a big hug “Well, that’s good.”

“No, it’s not. What are we going to do? How are we going to take care of it? I know we get paid by DNK, but would it be enough, when we find new jobs?”

“New jobs?” Ynnel blurted out. David and Ylesha look at him, they forgot he was even listening to their conversation. “You don’t need new jobs, The DNK will provide for us.” He said.

“I don’t know, they don’t take too kindly to agents getting pregnant.” David said.

“Ylesha is highly respected, they’ll understand.”

David lowered his eyebrows “We.. they… they’re..”

“Don’t worry, Ylesha. I understand. I’ll do the best to help.”

“You know, you’re taking this very calmly for someone who had a crush on me for SIX years, and won’t stop at nothing to go out out with me.”

Ynnel shrugged “It was bounded to happen. I couldn’t stop you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, y'all been serious for a while. I thought you guys would married or something.”

Ylesha laid her head on David’s chest and rubs his arms “Maybe….”

Just then, Eerc comes in the living room, giving everyone a folder.

“What’s this?” asked Ylesha.

“A file on our latest interviewee.”

They all opened the folder, and exchanged looks.

“Her?” Ynnel asked “ You want ask her questions about her past?”

“Honestly, ya’ll are making a HUGE mistake. You think Ynnel hard to find information? -0.5 has been in the DNK longer than any of us, and even DNK veterans don’t know much about her.” Ylesha smirked and raised her eyebrows.

“Well,” Eerc said “I never seen Daddy pass up a challenge.”

Daddy and Ecnatonc has sitting quietly in their chairs for a few minutes now. 

Daddy eyes scan every movement this girl has been doing, and so for far, all she’s been doing filing her nails, and crossing her legs. He chose not to say anything yet, as he figured Ecnatonc would be the first one to start up an conversation.

Her folder is even less than Ynnel’s, full of questions marks and assumptions. While he started to close the folder, Ecnatonc looked at him for the first time and said, with a grin “I wonder how your brother is doing these days.” 

Daddy drops the folder on the table and side-eyed her. “I think you of all people should know that answer to that question…” 

“Well, I was one of his third generation trainees, along with my half brother, Yallw, so…I have the right to know.”

“He’s been the best he ever in a while.”

“Hmph, that’s means the funeral is going to be delayed another month, like last time.”

Daddy angrily nods “You and Yallw get along?”

She shrugs “More than other siblings, that’s a fact. He treats well.”

“Listen,” Daddy “I’m not going to prolonged this any longer than it should.”

“Then, don’t. I like things kept open. I’m like the most open person I know.”

He stands up “Don’t use your fake girly-girly voice, use the real one.”

She puts down her nail filer “Well, then, use the voice your father used to have, the loud, booming one you men like to use when you want to feel powerful.” She slumps in her chair, clicking her nails.

“Okay, -0.5, but this is going off the record.”

He presses a red button, signaling all responsive speakers to activate.

“Oh, Neb. You think I’m going to just give you info like that. That’s not how its work-.”

He grabs her arm, pulling her to the floor. She lets out a gasp as he slams her to the wall. “You’re going to pay for poisoning Monty….”

“I-I do-.”

He slams her head against the wall before she could respond “ Yes. Yes. You. Do. I got toxicity reports done of him, 5A poisons are banned to general public, the poison in his system was 5AAA.”

“Well, maybe he has a lot of enemies who are high officials. He was getting unpopular with the masses.”

“Number 0 was the most respected of his rank, before -4 had to kill him. But, he could’t do it himself, he’s too cowardly, he had to have you or one of YOUR henchmen to do it.”

“You are quite the theorist.”

“How’s he paying you? Money, intell, some extra love from him…”

“Oh come on, you know I’m always top him.”

“You think this is a joke to you? You think your friends are jokes? If they get out of line, you take them out? Like trying to abort Ylesha’s baby with poison? Yeah, that's what I find out from the reports too, you sick…”

“A-ah, let me go, you’re hurting me.”

Daddy tighten his grip, but when he saw Eerc signal for him, he let her go.

“You’re hurting a lot of people, -0.5. You hurting me.”

She looked at him, eyes red from the stranglation. 

“It’s my job.”


	6. Daddy Pt.1

“What has been done, can’t be undone.”

That is what Ecnatsnoc said to Daddy as she was being dragged out by the medics. Her bruised up face and purple lips made a smirk as she was carried to the infirmary. Sector z could only watch in stunned silence as she went through the hallway, not looking at either one of them in the face. Ylesha’s hand was balling in and out of an fist, but David wrapped his arms around, putting her in his embrace. 

Daddy walked in the living room, straightening up his appearance. Ecurb stand besides Eerc, whispering in her ear “Does he get mad often, or is this one of his bad days?”

“I don’t know,” she says “But I haven’t seen him this mad before.”

Daddy walks up to them “Tell everyone to go home, we’ll keep in contact in the future.” 

Ecurb, still unsure of what the hell is happening, goes to David and Ylesha. “We can take her home together if you want.”

“Sure, I’m not doing anything today.”

He kisses her forehead, and she turns away, blushing.

“You okay?”

She nods “Lets just go, you dumb dweep.”

He snickers and hugs her too.

Ynnel was the first to leave, says he’ll go whatever the street air takes him, back to his dump. David, Ecurb, and Ylesha leave behind him, Ecurb whispering to Daddy he’ll be back tomorrow before sunrise. The medic pushed Ecnatsnoc in a wheelchair to her car. She’s okay, just very tired.

Eerc and Daddy were the last to leave their underground bunker, Daddy switching off the lights and shutting and locking the door on his way out. 

In the empty streets, in the pouring rain, the two walk beside each other. Both wanting to better themselves, both wanting to do it out of love. Eerc was adopted by Daddy a few years ago, when she was twelve. He found her abandoned and decommissioned by the DNK. She had no recollection of her life, of her friends, family, or time as a DNK agent. She remember only her name.

Now, they live in an deserted trailer park, far from the city, far from Number -4, far from the DNK.

They both didn’t mind. They both prefer this life, they chose this life. Sitting in the and looking out through the vacant landscape of rundown cars and abandoned trailers, into the outskirts of Elttes(Settle), this is a place not even an tyrannical government hellbent on absolute power, can find you…

There is no better place to live but on the outside.


	7. Daddy Pt.2

“You have to stay here and watch for officers, Eerc. I have to go and talk to my brother.”

He looked at her looking out at the side of the window, clutching to something in her hand. “Okay…” she says.

“Stay safe, sweetie.” He turns and opens the door.

“Wait,” Eerc says “I have a question.”

“Anything, sweetheart.”

“Why don’t you show your powers?”

“..Because…Because…” He looked down, trying to come up with an answer. “ Because I want to protect you.”

“But, why? From what happened wh-.?”

“…It’s complicated….” he says “ How did you found out about them anyway, I haven’t used them in years.”

“I…saw your bed sheets in the trash once. It was frozen solid. Then, last night, I felt really, really, cold in my room, so I went to get the heater. And then, I saw it. In your room, next to mine. You were having a nightmare, screaming, crying, lashing out. I hid back in my room.”

Father stared at her. “We’ll talk about it when I get home, okay?”

“But?!”

“I promise.” he said, closing the door behind him.

He held to the doorknob too long and saw it frost over. He let go quickly, pulling his hand away and shaking uncontrollably. He took a deep breath, as went back to normal. He turned away and started walking away. He put his hands in his pocket, not looking up at his surroundings.

He walked further and further from his trailer, to the empty landscape of his backyard, to the muddy puddles of the nearby neighborhoods.

Soon, he heard traffic behind him, horns blasting in his ears. He walked with a group of people on the busy sidewalk, trying to avoid shoving in to anyone. The smell of thick smoke welcomed him to downtown Eletts, home of DNK headquarters.

There, in a lonely red brick townhouse, is where his brother, his wife, and his kids lived. It was in the better part of Eletts, but the mindset of the people was the same. He knocked on the door, and Ahtram, his brother’s wife, answered. With a cigarette in her right hand and a crying baby in the other, she looked more than thrilled to see him.

“We’re busy today, Neb.” She was about to slam the door in his face before he said “I brought food.”

She looked him and smiled wide “Come on in.”

He goes inside, and tiptoes through the kid toys and broken toy parts.

“I hope you don’t mind the mess. My boys can get a little rowdy when don’t have their naps.”

“Oh, that’s fine.” Neb said as he put the food on the cluttered table full of papers. “How are you doing, Ahtram?”

“Stressed.” she said, trying to pull her messy her to an even messier bun. “Monty is in bed, of course you already knew that.”

He nods, going down the well-lit hallway, and peeking out the corner of the doorpost. “There he is.” he thought.

The pale man, with brittle sticks as hands and crooked branches for arms, looked as happier than innocent child. Him, playing and sorting out his puzzle pieces, turned and smiled. 

“Neb!” he shouted almost tipping over in his wheelchair. Thankfully, Neb rushed over and caught him before he fall, seeing the life in Monty’s eyes lit up. “You came.” he said to him.

“Yes I did, Monty. With a surprise too.”

He went to the hallway, grabbed a wrapped small box, and hold it to Monty. 

“A gift.”

Slowly, Monty reached out. His shaky hands barely grasping the box. He pressed it, and felt its texture. Neb untied the small bow, and opened the box. 

“A picurth!” Monty exclaimed.

“Yes, I found it in the shed.” He points to them in the center of the photo “See, that’s you on the right, with your arm around me. When we were kids, we went to beach with mom. That’s her in the background with dad, do you remember that?”

Monty looked up at the ceiling before shaking his head no. 

“Well,” Neb said “What a time to be alive.”

Monty nodded along to what he was saying, not really grasping it, but still happy about it.

Neb sat in the chair next to him. For a few minutes, he watched Monty go back to solving his puzzle. This was their usual Saturday quality time. On rainy and muddy days, they would sit and chat about their days. Like how Monty seeing a blue bird on his window, or watching his wife take care of the kids. On sunnier days, they go for a quiet stroll at the park, maybe getting something to eat later.

Neb wanted so bad wanted to tell Monty what he found out, what he did. But, how would Monty react to him sharing that kind of news? So, he sat and think for while and as best as he could, he said “So, today, I talked some DNK agents, and I talked to -0.5.”

At first, it seemed like Monty didn’t hear him, so he said it a little louder. The expression on Monty’s face changed, and put the final puzzle piece together, and swiftly turned his face away.

“I know. I know. You don’t like talking about her, but I got information on her that I think I would like share to you.”

“What.” Monty said.

“She knows what happened to you, what happened that day.”

Monty nodded his head back and forth.

“In fact, she was the one who poisoned you…”

Monty looked at him, Neb looked down as if he said something wrong. Monty just smiled “Now, Nebby.” he scooted towards him “I made peace with my enemies. They had their reasons, and accepted that.”

“I don’t understand. Made peace with your enemies? The same ones that took your health away. The same ones that laughed and scoffed at your poor soul. You mean to tell me you forgave them? ”

“The most important thingy is what I did when I was well. I was able to save kids ALL around the world from adult tyrants. I gave them that hope, and someday, that hope will spark again, and our tyrant will get his day of judgement.”

He put his hands on his lap and looked at Neb sweetly “Plus, I love that we’re finally catching up all these years later. OOOoooh, if only I could bake again, I could make you the best banana bread you ever tasted!”

Neb chuckles “Monty, you’re a nicer man than I ever was.”

“Oh, stop it! You just stern, that’s all.”

“But, I want the people who did this to you to be…punished!”

“The same people who took little Eirrac away?’

Neb nodded, “Yes. In fact, I spoke to one of them who did it. He treated as a joke and toyed with me.” He sighed “I don’t know how I’m going to change them. Talking to them is no good.”

“Well, you can’t change a person yourself. It’s up to the person to have the heart to change. You could only help them so much.”

Neb uncovered his face “So, they have hearts now?”

“Everyone has to want to be happier, Neb, even bad ones. We all want happiness, it’s how we find it that matters.”

Neb simply said “Well, I just have to wait and see, don’t I?”

Monty nod in agreement. “It looks like the road is drying off. Mind we go outside for a bit, just some fresh air?”

“It would mean the world to me.”


	8. Eerc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eerc spends a day alone and gets a knock on the door...

If you hate me that much...  
If you hate me that much...  
If you hate me that much...  
Eerc tosses and turns in her bed. 

The voices in her head gets louder and louder.

The dreams are getting more surreal.

She shouts in fear and agony, but her screams are merely whispers in the night.

If you hate me that much...  
If you hate me that much...  
If you hate me that much...  
If you hate me that much...  
If you hate me that much...  
If you hate me that much...  
...then why don’t find someone else.....  
She launches forward out of her sleep, and screams for help. She grabs her hair, and kicks her bed stand with her feet. Daddy gets out of his room and rushes to her. He holds her as she loudly sobs in his arms.

“Its okay, Eerc. I’m here, shhh, don’t cry.”

Eerc could barely see him from her tear filled eyes. Hugs weren’t normal for her, but she accepted his.

“I just don’t know what to do. The dreams are getting more and more worse.”

“I’m so sorry, Eerc. Do you want to talk about it?”

She sighs, sinking more in his chest “It’s about a guy I used to friends with....dahc.”

“Dahc?-273?”

Eerc nods “He was the supreme leader of the DNK before Yllaw, he’s...dead.”

“I’m not surprised. How can we forget about the DNK’s campaign to make -4 leader once and for all? Dahc’s win was the biggest upset in DNK election history. -4 bluntly said he wanted him to burn in hell.”

“Yeah, but it was something he said to me the last time I saw him. If you hate that much, then why you find someone else?”

“What did say back to him?”

“Maybe I will....”

Now, early evening, as the rain receded, Eerc was stuck in house, reading a book. She wonders what her dreams could mean. Should ask Daddy about her past? Should she figure it out herself? What would she find?

Suddenly, a knock on the door. She got up, and got a bat by her side. 

“Who’s there?”

She slowly walks to the door.

“SiSTEr, It’s meeeeeeee.”

“Oh god.” Eerc said “Not now, Ybba.”

“BuT SiS, I HaVeN’T seen you in a long timEEEE!”

“This isn’t the right time.”

“AWWWWW!”

Before Eerc could shut the door, a foot stopped it.

“Now, Eerc, we just want to visit.” said the voice.

Oh great, it’s him.... Eerc thought as -2 walked to the doorway.

“Honestly, woman. Could you be so rude as to not invite your own pals over for some a cup of joe?”

Eerc eyes shot at him.

“We are not P A l S.”  
“Okay....: he said “Close associates.”

He looked around the house, scanning it.

“Well, if you go with trash....”

“The place was in better shape yesterday. We just haven’t done our spring cleaning yet.”

“We?” said Ybba “Who’s we?

Eerc retraced her words “I mean, I haven’t done the spring cleaning yet.”

“I pretty sure you said we. Who are you living with with?” 

“No one, Eigaoh.”

“You’re barely even could keep a job at DNK. Who would hire you?”

“I have ways off supporting myself.”

“...like Daddy.....”

Eerc stepped back in the trailer. “How...”

“We followed from -0.5 signals. You gave her a bad beating.”

“She gave Monty a bad heart.” She crossed her arms. “I don’t have time for round-abouts. Y’all need to leave, you’re trespassing.”

“But sis...”

“NOW!”

“Fine, fine.” -2 said, walking back to his van “But just as we’re clear, we won’t be shoo away much longer, Eerc. We’ll be back, you count on that, with an army.”

-5 sighs sadly as she turns away. But as Eigaoh got in the van, she placed something in -5 hand.  
“What i-.  
“SHHHHHHHHHHH!” -5 looked back and forth “Read it when you get inside.”

Eerc nods. She shuts the door, closed the blinds, and sat on the couch.

Hesitant, she open the note that said

Dahc is alive, but not for long.  
She freezes up at the sight of his name. Her mouth could barely read the rest of the sentence without quivering, and her body shaking to the ground. She got herself up, trying to take it all in.

“A-A-Alive?”

She sits on the floor “It can’t be. I watched him die bef-.” She takes a breather “Before they erased my mind.” But it didn’t work, or how they thought it would. The memories, although blurry, were coming back all at once. 

The dreams, the flashbacks, plus what Daddy had told her all the time they been together. It felt drastic, but it all felt real.

The note, she must read what else it says. She grabbed it and turn it around. An website link? They had computers but not at the trailer. They could track us. Thankfully, Daddy put VPNs on the ones in the warehouse. He couldn’t take her there. If he knew she was talking to-.

A loud blam at the door interrupted Eerc’s thoughts. She hid the note quickly in her mattress, and went back to the living room. She opened the door for Daddy, who brought take-out. 

“Hello there, Eerc. My, the day I had. Did you know that Chinatown is open after hours?”

Eerc shooked her head “I didn’t even know we even had a Chinatown .”

“Oh, it’s not a Chinatown. Its a little street called that.”

“Oh.”

He rambled so more before stopping and looking at her. 

“You know what? I haven’t gave you anything for your birthday.”

“Oh, I understand you’re busy. I don’t mind.”

Daddy rushed in his room and came back with a box. He gave it to her and asked her to open it. She opened it, and was really surprised. 

“A diamond necklace?”

“Yeah, it has been 3 three years since we been a family, so I thought I got you something.”

“This looks expensive.”

“Ahhh, yeahhhh. Don’t worry about it. It’s for you, so it’s an exception.”

Daddy stand beside her, patting her on the back. “You look sad. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I love it!”

“Not the necklace, with you?”

“...I’m fine.”

“You sure, sweetheart? You can talk to me anything.”

“It was pretty boring here. I wish you can take me to more places sometimes.”

“Well, hon. I wish that too, but I can’t risk your safety. I want nothing bad happened to you on my accord.”

Eerc looked down “But, what about when I will drive?”

“Since you did get your permit, I could let you drive to some places. Maybe next week, okay?”

Eerc smiled “Thanks for the necklace, Daddy.”

“Anytime, Eerc. Anytime.”

Eigaoh and Ybba are driving in the van on the highway, transporting a new piece of tech that Iuik made to headquaters. Eigaoh looks to left at Ybba, who was cleaning her glasses. 

“Why don’t get new ones?”

Ybba put them back on “I like the way they feel.”

“...Like a nerd?”

“Nooooo, I like the color.”

“Sure. The color of expired milk.”

“That’s actually not bad.”

Eigaoh sighs, shaking his head. “What did we even accomplish by going to your sister?’’

“I just wanted to see her. -4 doesn’t want me around her.”

“She’s a traitor, ofc he wouldn’t.”

“I don’t think so, we were just talking about.”

“About him! About Dahc! That’s treason!”

“We weren’t even talking about that, it just came up that she ha-.”

“I don’t want to her it, Ybba. Man, do you want to get us killed out here?”

“He can’t controlled what I think!”

“But he can control the tone of your voice you’re using on me, girl!”

“You don’t even like me, I don’t know wh-.” 

He pulls over the car, and grabs her arm. 

“Yes I do!”

Ybba shoot up in her seat “AHHH don’t hurt me!”

He raised his fist, but sees her trembling, and raises it down. 

“You’re not worth the beating, Ybba. Besides, I won’t hurt you like you that.”

He traced his finger on her cheek “Not just because of talking, right?”

She nods, tears streaming down her face.

“Yeahhhhh. We’ll see about that.”

He leans forward and kisses her. He catches her by surprise as she kisses him back.

“Wait, we have a job to do....”

“I can wait.”

“But what would we do in the meantime?”

Eigaoh turns on the radio “I like this better.”

Ybba nods. They embraced again and climbed in the backseat.

A few minutes later, -3 and -4 catch up to him, and pulled over in the back.

“I swear,” said Ikuk “If they are not in this van with my gadget, I’m going t-.”

She opens it the door and then shuts it quickly.

She goes to the van.

“Drive.”

“Tha-.”

“Drive, you fool. I’ve seen enough!”

The car sprints off to the road. -4 glances back at -3.

“They doing it again?” he asked.

“They doing it again.”

(I don’t know why I added this part, I guess it’s a sneak preview of the next chapter.)


End file.
